Air Canada Suspends Plans to Restart Operations after CUPE Defies CIRB Directive to Return to Work Français
Flight attendant union urges its members to refuse to report for work
MONTREAL, Aug. 17, 2025 /CNW/ - Air Canada said it has suspended its plan to resume limited flying by Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge today after the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) illegally directed its flight attendant members to defy a direction from the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to return to work. The airline will resume flights as of tomorrow evening.
All operations of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge were suspended August 16, 2025, due to a strike by CUPE. In accordance with the Government of Canada's direction, the CIRB ordered a resumption of our activities and directed our flight attendants to return to work. This order ended both CUPE's strike and the lockout Air Canada had imposed in response. Approximately 240 flights scheduled to operate beginning this afternoon have now been cancelled. Typically, the carriers operate 700 flights a day.
Customers whose flights are cancelled will be notified and are strongly advised not to go the airport unless they have confirmed flights on other airlines. Air Canada will offer those with cancelled flights options, including obtaining a full refund or receiving a credit for future travel. The carrier will also offer to rebook customers on other carriers, although capacity is currently limited due to the peak summer travel season.
Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz or PAL continue to operate as normal.
About Air Canada
Air Canada is Canada's largest airline, the country's flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network. Air Canada provides scheduled service directly to more than 180 airports in Canada, the United States and Internationally on six continents. It holds a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax. Air Canada's Aeroplan program is Canada's premier travel loyalty program, where members can earn or redeem points on the world's largest airline partner network of 45 airlines, plus through an extensive range of merchandise, hotel and car rental partners. Through Air Canada Vacations, it offers more travel choices than any other Canadian tour operator to hundreds of destinations worldwide, with a wide selection of hotels, flights, cruises, day tours, and car rentals. Its freight division, Air Canada Cargo, provides air freight lift and connectivity to hundreds of destinations across six continents using Air Canada's passenger and freighter aircraft. Air Canada's climate-related ambition includes a long-term aspirational goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. For additional information, please see Air Canada's TCFD disclosure. Air Canada shares are publicly traded on the TSX in Canada and the OTCQX in the US.
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